1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to a liquid crystal display (“LCD”).
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) is one of the most widely used types of flat panel display. Generally, an LCD includes a pair of display panels having field generating electrodes, such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the display panels. In an LCD, voltages are applied to field generating electrodes to generate an electric field in a liquid crystal layer. Accordingly, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is determined, and polarization of incident light is controlled. As a result, a desired image is displayed on the LCD.
Among various types of LCD, a vertically aligned (“VA”) mode LCD, in which long axes of liquid crystal molecules are aligned perpendicular to upper and lower display panels when no electric field is applied, typically has high contrast ratios and wide standard viewing angles.
In a VA mode LCD, a plurality of domains having different alignment directions of liquid crystals may be formed in one pixel to improve viewing angle thereof.
A method of forming a plurality of domains has been suggested to form an incision part, such as slits, in a field generating electrode. In such a method, liquid crystals are rearranged by fringe fields formed between edges of the incision part and the field generating electrode which faces the incision part, thereby forming a plurality of domains.
In a VA mode LCD, an incision part such as micro-slits may be formed in a field generating electrode, or a protrusion may be formed on the field generating electrode, to secure a wide viewing angle. The incision part and the protrusion determine a tilt direction of liquid crystal molecules. Therefore, the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules may be diversified to various directions by appropriately placing the incision part and the protrusion, thereby widening the viewing angle of a VA mode LCD.